The design of verandahs on Brazilian architecture: deep shadows and

environmental impacts

Gogliardo Vieira Maragno

Federal Univertity of Mato Grosso do Sul, UFMS

Helena Coch
School of Architecture of Barcelona

The work investigates the design of the verandah in the architecture of Brazil,
identifying it as one of the makers of the archetype of the Brazilian house. The
research was conducted under two premises: firstly, that the shade as well as light take
part in the architecture revealing its forms and secondly, that shade in hot climates is
the best protection due to the rigor of solar radiation as it makes the spaces habitable.
The research examines the role of the transitional space and verandah as a
component of the architecture of shade that we set out. The verandahs were
introduced to the Brazilian’s architecture by European settlers,- despite the prior
existence of indigenous solutions of similar function - adapted to the climatic
conditions and subsequently re-interpreted during the introduction and spread of the
modern movement. Its continued presence in virtually all phases of Brazilian
architecture has aroused the hypothesis that the environmental motivation has
changed and taking into account the important social meanings that it acquired in
Brazilian houses associated with its contribution in spatial and formal definition of the
projects, its design has become more the result of its functional and aesthetic aspects
and less its contribution to environmental questions. As a methodological procedure,
the research identifies verandah aspects relating to the various dimensions of
architecture, notably in the aesthetic dimension. Subsequently, it relates the potential
environmental impact of its design features, using the comparison between design
strategy used by architects and real use reported by users. The analytical course of the
thesis has allowed to consider the validity of the initial hypothesis, recognize other
values contained in such space and the importance to continue the qualitative and
quantitative research on the topic in accord with the growing impacts reflections and
architectural solutions impacts in the preservation of natural resources and energy of
the planet.